This easy homemade ricotta from Andrew Zimmern is milky, creamy and fresh tasting.

In the 1970’s and into the 1980’s, cooking was a lot about shopping and assembly. In the 1990’s and the aughts, certain ingredients became the sexy stalwarts of a new era of democratic cookery. Every dish had to have bacon in it, or boquerones, or Calabrian chiles. Now, everyone wants to know how to make their own bacon, cure their own boquerones and dry their own chiles from their garden.

So here is a great recipe for the hobbyist cooks out there: ricotta cheese. It’s easy to make, and there are so many ways to use it in your kitchen. I like to season it with honey and spicy chiles and schmear it on grilled bread. Remember, this is cheese, so you can season it any way you like. Have fun and get creative. Get the recipe.